The Lost ChroniclesLegolas
by stellaluna16
Summary: We find out why Legolas always looks so sad.
1. Default Chapter

The Lost Chronicles: Legolas  
  
The little elf toddled around the palace garden in wonderment. What wonder and splendor the forest held! He gazed up into the canopy, wishing he could reach to the very tops of the trees, but he was still small. Although at that time, that moment, he knew nothing of small and big, nothing of the wide world, and nothing of pain and suffering.  
"Nor will he, ever," Thistilile, his loving mother, once promised.  
Though she held this wish for her son, she knew it would never come true.  
* * *  
  
The young elf was not small for long, and soon he had reached the span of years between boyhood and manhood. The outside world was still unfamiliar to him, but the prince knew his own kingdom like the back of his hand. He was often to be seen with a group of companions on some undoubtedly "dangerous" pretend quest. These quests often took him far from the palace for many days at a time, but he would always return with a tale to impress the she-elves, and a present for his mother.  
It is said that all elves understand the whisperings of the forests, the tales of the stars, and their own part in the Turning of the Ages. This is not true. Their understanding comes like a lightening bolt, quick and unexpected, but always beautiful. The Awakening always came during young adulthood and most elves looked forward to it. Legolas, however, felt he could do without an Awakening.  
"Once you become Awake, you lose your sense of fun, your sense of life. You've seen how the newly Awoken look. They always have a vacant, far-off, glazed look in their eye, and treat us that are still Asleep like children," Legolas complained to his fellow adventurer, Berone.  
They were alone that day. No one else had come with them on their quest, but since quests never had only two companions, they abandoned their game for the rest of the day. They were now stretched out on a mossy rock beside a shallow stream that echoed slightly off the other rocks lining the bank.  
"Do you say this because you truly resent the Awakening, or do you resent the Awakened's attitude toward you?" Berone, who was also Asleep, asked slyly.  
Legolas laughed out loud. The sound fell among the leaves dusting the forest floor and made the trees quiver. It had been long since they had heard Elven laughter.  
"Berone, you always seem to find my true feelings. No, I will not resent the actual awakening when it comes to me, but I will resent the idea and those who possess it until it comes."  
Legolas lay back on the rock, wishing he could feel the sun, but the dark canopy of Mirkwood kept all light out. He remembered a time, not so long ago, when sun streamed through the leaves and warmed Mirkwood to its core, but some power that Legolas did not understand drove Mirkwood to cut out the light. Legolas missed the sun greatly.  
"You are thinking about the sun," Berone said after a pause.  
"Yes," Legolas sighed. "I miss her warmth, her beams of light, and her happy countenance. Why did she forsake Mirkwood?"  
Berone gazed into the woods, pondering.  
"She may have forsaken Mirkwood, but she's sent one of her beams to lighten your mood," he said to Legolas.  
Legolas turned quickly to gaze in the same direction. A she-elf was walking silently through the forest, singing softly to herself. She was Lithile, a friend who was more than a friend to Legolas. He glanced at Berone, who laughed and said,  
"Go to her. Enjoy your sunbeam."  
Legolas thanked Berone and dashed off to catch Lithile. He moved silently, but Lithile heard him and knowingly quickened her pace.  
"How badly do you want to catch me?" she whispered to herself.  
Legolas continued to romp after Lithile.  
"What is she doing? Does she wish to evade me?" he thought and smiled to himself.  
The chase had begun. 


	2. Chpter 2

~~Disclaimer: These characters are not mine, they belong to the brilliant mind of J.R.R. Tolkein.~~ ~~~Thank You: Thank you stellamucca and Lomiothiel for your reviews!!! Very helpful and much appreciated.~`~`~`~`( Now on with Chp. 2!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The chase had begun.  
Lithile laughed out loud. She had led Legolas through a maze of branches, vines, and rocks, but his pace had never faltered. Lithile knew where she was going. She had been there many times throughout her life and it had always been her secret. Until now.  
"Follow me, my Greenleaf," Lithile whispered.  
Suddenly, the forest disappeared, the darkness fled, and sunlight blinded Lithile for a moment. She ran forward to the center of the clearing to her sunning rock. Since she was young, she had spent countless hours in this clearing, soaking up the sun's warmth, the moon's beams, and the star's silence. Legolas had not yet reached the clearing, so Lithile jumped onto the rock, positioned herself prettily, and gazed up into the heavens, hoping she would look dramatic when Legolas found her. A soft rustling on the fringe of the clearing told her he had arrived.  
Legolas froze in awe. Not only had he found his sunbeam, but she had led him back to the sun. He walked out into the clearing with his face turned towards the sky and finally looked down to find Lithile seated on a rock, her long hair and dress arranged perfectly.  
"A little too perfectly," he thought, smiling to himself.  
It was then the Lithile turned her face away form the sun and toward the new arrival.  
"I have brought you the sun," she said in a clear voice.  
Legolas regarded her for a moment and the came forward and climbed up on the rock next to her. He looked straight into her eyes and said,  
"You have brought me more than that." * * *  
They stayed on the rock the rest of the day. Soon, the sun began to sink behind the trees and the sky turned a brilliant shade of pink. Stars started to twinkle as the moon began to rise. Legolas watched every change in wonderment. He could not ever remember seeing the stars.  
"To think I have missed this all my life," Legolas said, after dark had fallen.  
Even though the forest around them was frighteningly dark, the clearing seemed brilliantly lit with moon and starlight. Lithile and Legolas lay on the rock gazing up into the night sky. Their faces were pale in the dim moonlight and Lithile's eyes sparkled as she said,  
"Now that you have seen it, do you ever want to let it go?"  
Legolas turned his head to look at her.  
"Would you let it go?" he asked.  
"No," she said.  
Suddenly, a cold wind swirled around the clearing, picking up leaves and grass and tossing them into the air. The wind chilled Lithile to the bone, but strangely, it did not feel evil. The chilled air seemed to swim closer and closer to the rock, but Legolas felt that he wanted it to come closer. The bits of debris seemed to form a wall around the two young elves as it closed in, blocking their view of everything except the starry sky. As they felt and saw this happen around them, a single star seemed to outshine the others. It shone brighter and brighter until they could see nothing else. Then.it seemed that pieces of the star floated down into their eyes.  
Lithile gasped then the first flake touched her eye. It felt as if ice had frozen her mind for an instant and instantly thawed, letting in the light for the first time. Legolas felt as though his mind were on fire and then springing up from the ashes was blinding light. As suddenly as it had started, it stopped. The swirling leaves fell immediately still, the blackness crept back into the night, and the chill vanished.  
Legolas and Lithile sat up and looked about them. It was Lithile who broke the silence with a whisper.  
"The trees.I can.hear them."  
"Yes," Legolas said, his eyes wide. "They are whispering to one another. But it is not the trees that amaze me. I know the stars! I know all their.secrets."  
Lithile took his face in her hands and turned him toward her.  
"We are Awake," she whispered, pressing her forehead against his.  
"Yes," he whispered. "We are Awake." 


	3. Chapter 3

Thanx again to stellamucca and Lomiothiel for their reviews! ( Onto chapter 3!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Yes," he whispered. "We are Awake."  
When elves become Awake, they receive a gift of a special talent or ability that is different for each, and that is usually kept a secret, except between close friends. Legolas found out the very next day what had changed about him. He ventured out into the woods and could see clearly for a few miles wherever he turned. Because of this sight, his archery skills greatly improved. Lithile, however, did not seem to have gained anything besides the universal knowledge.  
Since their Awakening, Legolas and Lithile had been inseparable. They would spend long hours walking through the forest together, not speaking, but glad for each others company. Even thought Lithile remained cheerful and glad, Legolas could see that she was troubled by her seeming lack of a gift. Days past, then weeks, and then months, and during this time, Legolas and Lithile's love, for that is what it had turned into-love, grew each moment. Lithile had not been as troubled as of late about her absence of a gift, but then, there was something that distracted her. It distracted all the elves in Mirkwood.  
A host of strange Orcs had penetrated Mirkwood to the north, and all the elves had taken refuge in the castle. The Orcs had not yet reached the castle, but archers were at the ready, day and night. Dusk had begun to fall and Legolas made his was down to the Healing Rooms where Lithile was working. He looked into the long white room and found Lithile making beds.  
"How can you be so busy when the battle has not yet started?" Legolas teased.  
Lithile looked up from her work.  
"When, Master Greenleaf, your archers are pierced by Orc arrows, they will be grateful for a bed with sheets," she replied, throwing a pillow at him.  
"Ah, point taken," he said, catching the pillow and laying it gently on the bed from which she had snatched it.  
"Would you like to help?" she said.  
"Oh, yes!" he said, pulling her down on a bed with him. "Oh, may I? May I, a lowly Prince, help this desperate bed-making maiden? You do me a great honor."  
Lithile laughed.  
"Can you take nothing seriously?"  
Legolas was about to answer when a horn sounded. They both gazed at the entrance to the Healing Room, and heard the sound of many running feet.  
"That will be the guards going to the wall top," Legolas said, turning back to Lithile. "I must go too."  
"No," she whimpered. "Stay here, where it is safe."  
"I cannot. I must go, it is my duty as a Prince," Legolas explained.  
"Then let me come!" Lithile cried. "Let me face the same dangers as you. What if you should.I should have that same chance!!"  
"You cannot come. You know this," Legolas said, softly. "Our fighters need good healers. You will be needed. You have-"  
"I don't care!!" Lithile shouted, sobbing. "I don't care what happens to anyone else! Surely you understand that by now. It hurts, Legolas. It physically hurts me to watch you go. It hurts you just as much to go. I know, I can see it in your face, I can feel it!"  
She broke off, sobbing uncontrollably. Legolas placed an arm around her shoulder, but she started and shrugged it off. Legolas' brows knitted.  
"I have a duty to my people, Lithile-"  
"Am I not one of them? I know you have your duty, but.oh, Legolas, I felt your pain. I know you don't want to go! But, I know at the same time, you must, and I will not be the one to stop you."  
"Thank you, I will return," and he was gone.  
* *  
*  
The battle lasted long into the night. Both sides suffered losses, but the Orcs were finally driven back and a host of elves followed to drive them out of Mirkwood. Legolas had stayed behind in order to help with the repairs. He had not fallen, or even been wounded, and his first thought was to find Lithile. He made his way to the Healing Room, and when he reached it, he stopped in the doorway. The number of elves wounded of killed had been great, but he had not expected this.  
The room was a mess of sheets, blood, and tools of the healers. Elves were running frantically between beds where some lay unconscious or moaning, while shouting orders or calling for assistance. He wondered if this room was worst than the actual battle. He gazed across the chaotic scene and saw Lithile working in the back near a window. Dodging elves, he made his was back to her and touched her shoulder. She jumped at his touch and whirled around, but when she saw who it was, she let out a sob and threw her arms around him.  
"Let's leave this place," he whispered and quickly led her out of the room.  
He pulled her along passageways and up spiral staircases until they came to the roof of the tallest tower, and here they sat down against the wall and breathed. Then, Lithile said something that Legolas did not expect.  
"I have found out what my gift is."  
He turned toward her.  
"That's amazing," he said. "After all these months and all-"  
"Legolas.it's pain," said softly, tears coming to her eyes.  
"What?" he said, perplexed.  
She covered her face with her hands for a moment, and then looked up.  
"I feel other's pain whenever they are near me. My first inkling came before the battle, when I begged you not to go. I felt the pain you felt in leaving me," she paused. She swallowed and a single tear ran down her cheek.  
"When they started brining in the wounded, it was almost overpowering. I quickly learned that I could feel physical pain as well as mental pain. The first boy that came in had an arrow in his shoulder, and.I felt it. I felt the flesh tear as they pulled it out, I felt his anguish. I am only thankful I did not have to work on him or I might have needed to be Healed myself.  
"But that wasn't the worst of it. When one elf died, I felt the grief of every elf that had done their best to save him. It.was grief I had.never.never hoped to experience, but.I felt it every time we lost one. And we lost twenty-two."  
She looked up at Legolas with moist eyes. He stood up and turned away to look out over the forest. Why did this have to happen to his sunbeam? He had never heard of a gift like this, why, it seemed almost like a curse. Legolas slammed his fist into the parapet in anger and anguish. He heard a small whimper behind him and realized Lithile had felt the pain in his hand.  
"Legolas, do you know how much hurt there was today? I know, I felt every bit of it. Why.why did-" Lithile broke off.  
Legolas turned back to her and clasped her hands in his.  
"Stay strong, Lithile. We can get through this. We'll do it together. I promise." 


End file.
